(early 1330s - cir.1418) was born in Pontoise and was an unsuccessful French scrivener (scrivener means scribe) and manuscript-seller who developed a reputation as an alchemist due to his well-known work on the philosopher's stone.
A picture of Nicholas Flamel (click on picture to find the source of the picture)
Picture is a fake!!
Alchemy is both a philosophy and an ancient practice focused on the attempt to change base metals into gold, investigating the preparation of the "elixir of longevity", and achieving ultimate wisdom, involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of several substances described as having unusual and peculiar properties.
The essence of his reputation is that he succeeded at the two magical goals of alchemy -- that he made the Philosophers' Stone, which turns lead into gold, and that he and his wife Amy achieved immortality through the "Elixir of Life".
On the way back, he reported that he met a sage, who identified Flamel's book as being a copy of the original Book of Abraham the Mage (or Jew). With this knowledge, over the next few years, Flamel and his wife decoded enough of the book to successfully copy and make its recipe for the Philosopher's Stone, producing first silver, and then gold.
Nicholas lived until he was around eighty years old, and had his own tombstone he asked his brother, a carpenter, to carve out. His wife had died before him.
However, when a robber decided to dig up his grave in a search for gold, he found that it was empty, devoid of anything. After that incident, people claimed to have seen the supposedly "immortal" alchemist all throughout Paris. It is said that he lived 300 more years, and J.K Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone states that he lived for 666 years.
SIX FAKE FACTS!! X3
(early 1330s - cir.1418) was born in Pontoise and was an unsuccessful French scrivener (scrivener means scribe) and manuscript-seller who developed a reputation as an alchemist due to his well-known work on the philosopher's stone.
A picture of Nicholas Flamel (click on picture to find the source of the picture)
Picture is a fake!!
Alchemy is both a philosophy and an ancient practice focused on the attempt to change base metals into gold, investigating the preparation of the "elixir of longevity", and achieving ultimate wisdom, involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of several substances described as having unusual and peculiar properties.
The essence of his reputation is that he succeeded at the two magical goals of alchemy -- that he made the Philosophers' Stone, which turns lead into gold, and that he and his wife Amy achieved immortality through the "Elixir of Life".
Nicolas and his wife, Amy were devout Muslims. Later in life they were noted for their wealth and philanthropy as well as multiple interpretations on modern day alchemy.
When Nicholas was a scribe, he received an alchemical book called Livre des figures hiéroglypiques.
On the way back, he reported that he met a sage, who identified Flamel's book as being a copy of the original Book of Abraham the Mage (or Jew). With this knowledge, over the next few years, Flamel and his wife decoded enough of the book to successfully copy and make its recipe for the Philosopher's Stone, producing first silver, and then gold.
Nicholas lived until he was around eighty years old, and had his own tombstone he asked his brother, a carpenter, to carve out. His wife had died before him.
However, when a robber decided to dig up his grave in a search for gold, he found that it was empty, devoid of anything. After that incident, people claimed to have seen the supposedly "immortal" alchemist all throughout Paris. It is said that he lived 300 more years, and J.K Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone states that he lived for 666 years.
Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Flamel and http://www.suite101.com/content/mysterious-life-of-nicolas-flamel-a101520,